Interim executive has been selected
An interim executive officer has been named for Yolo County Housing, following the June 30 resignation of long time executive Lisa Baker.
Sandra Sigrist was appointed interim executive officer effective July 15, according to an unattributed posting on the Housing agency’s website Sunday. As part of her responsibilities, she also becomes interim executive director of New Hope Community Development Corporation.
Yolo County Housing primarily provides services for those seeking low-income housing as well as serves farmworkers to the county in need of short-term housing. Services include directing financial assistance coming from state and federal sources.
According to Yolo County Housing, Sigrist brings more than 15 years of experience in housing and homelessness work. For the past six years, she has been with Yolo County’s Health & Human Services Agency, serving as branch director for adult and aging programs since 2016, where she has seen steady growth of funding and programs in supporting the community ‘s efforts to address the homeless crisis.
“Sandra brings expertise in the program and budget management to help guide Yolo County Housing’s initiatives forward, while also bringing a skill set in highlighting and cultivating teams’ strengths, knowledge and autonomy within a common vision,” the posting states.
“These past few months living in the time of COVID-19 have been unsettling at best,” the post continues, “bringing unforeseen challenges to how e conduct our day-to-day business. At the same time, a change in leadership can often usherin rediscovered potential and the prospect of new opportunities.
“We are pleased to have Sandra join our workforce during this unprecedented moment in time, and we look forward to all we will accomplish as we move forward together,” the Facebook post concludes.
Baker abruptly left her position on June 30, after 14 years of service.
“It has been a great privilege to serve as Chief Executive Officer through the last 14 years,” Baker stated at the time of her departure. “Despite years of funding cuts, economic recession, federal shutdowns, sequestration, and the current pandemic, we have continued to grow and expand partnerships throughout Yolo. Those partnerships have allowed us to create great housing and service opportunities — including West Sacramento’s Bridge to Housing, Davis’ Getting to Zero program, housing reentry for persons exiting incarceration and new affordable housing opportunities for adult foster youth, disabled and elderly community members. To achieve this, one needs a great team and good board leadership and I have been blessed with both. I’m looking forward to seeing what YCH accomplishes in the next 14 years.”